Golden Flashes Claim Series at Western Michigan With 9-1 Victory

Saturday, April 25

Kalamazoo, MI

2:05 PM ET

Kent State University

31-10, 17-6

Western Michigan University

20-18, 14-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Kent State	1	4	0	1	1	0	2	0	0	9	13	0
Western Michigan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	4	0

Kent State Golden Flashes batter wearing No. 8 stands in his stance at home plate in a gray 'Kent State Golden Flashes' Under Armour jersey and gray pants, with the entire Kent State dugout leaning on the railing watching in the background and an opposing catcher crouched at right.

Photo by: Kaley Buck / Western Michigan Athletics

Golden Flashes Claim Series at Western Michigan With 9-1 Victory

4/25/2026 5:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kent State wasted no time Saturday afternoon at Hyames Field, scoring in each of the first two innings and cruising to a 9-1 victory over Western Michigan to claim the series and improve to 31-10 overall and 17-6 in MAC play.

The Flashes got on the board in the first when Ripken Reese doubled and came home on a Nolan Belcher RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0. Kent State broke the game open in the second. Alejandro Covas singled, stole second, and scored on a Hunter Klotz double down the left-field line. Brady Marshall followed with an RBI single to left to score Klotz, and Reese added an RBI single to plate Covas, capping a four-run inning that pushed the lead to 5-0.

The Flashes tacked on a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to keep the pressure on. In the fourth, Matthews walked, and Marshall bunted him to second before Reese doubled to right to score Matthews. In the fifth, Belcher led off with a home run to left field to extend the advantage to 7-0.

Kent State added two more in the seventh when a pitch hit Covas, stole second, and scored on a Klotz double, with Marshall following with an RBI single to make it 9-0. Western Michigan avoided the shutout in the eighth on a Tanner Mally RBI single, but it was little consolation as Caughey had long since put the game out of reach.

Caughey earned the win (5-2), going six dominant innings and allowing just one hit while striking out three. Nick Guidas and Jordan Kolenda combined for three scoreless innings of relief.

Reese led the way offensively, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI. Klotz finished 1-for-5 with one double and one RBI. Marshall went 1-for-4 with one RBI and a sacrifice bunt. Covas was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Belcher went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Matthews contributed a walk and a run scored, and Solitaria added two hits, including a double.

Kent State goes for the series sweep tomorrow at Hyames Field with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m.

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